Triple drug therapy with quinine, cotrimoxazole and tetracycline in the management of cerebral malaria--A review of 254 cases.

ABSTRACT

This study reflected that administration of tetracycline along with quinine and cotrimoxazole can reduce mortality from cerebral malaria significantly. In this five year prospective study in an endemic zone, the authors assessed the outcome of treatment with or without tetracycline among 254 cases of cerebral malaria. 100 patients were treated with quinine and cotrimoxazole and 154 patients were given triple therapy-quinine, cotrimoxazole and tetracycline. Fatality in group without tetracycline was 18%, whereas in the tetracycline group it was 12.33%. One interesting observation was that the parasite count was not proportional to the severity of disease. Out of 254 patients of this series, 136 patients (53.54%) had low parasite count (less than 1,000/cumm) and only 26 patients (10.23%) had infinity count. Quinine induced cardiac arrhythmia or hypoglycaemia was not seen in any patient.